Shapla in Bangladesh was devastated when her parents arranged a marriage that would force her to drop out of school. But thanks to World Vision, when Shapla told her friends about her situation, they knew what to do.

World Vision has partnered with 10x10, a campaign aimed at promoting the education and empowerment of girls. The story of Habtam in Ethiopia illustrates how girls in developing countries are often not valued — and how child sponsorship can help.

Growing up in the Philippines, Rachel longed to become a nurse but assumed it would never happen because of her family’s poverty. World Vision started helping her when she was 7. Eleven years later, she’s set to become the first person in her family to attend college

Sadly, in many parts of the world, food insecurity and poverty often keep children like 11-year-old Kham out of the classroom. Before World Vision helped his family, he’d often skip school to look for food or to avoid embarrassment caused by his dirty clothes.

Schools are closed in Sierra Leone because of the Ebola virus. Twelve-year-old Zainab worries about falling behind in learning. She and her mother say children may become dropouts or child brides if they are out of school for long.

It’s been nearly three years since the 2010 Haiti earthquake, and many people there are still living in squalid conditions in camps. World Vision is working on a project to help families move out of camps and into more durable accommodations.

When Laxmi was 8 years old, she decided to quit school, as all her older sisters had done after they finished fifth grade. But in 2001, World Vision enrolled Laxmi as a sponsored child. Now, she is completing twelfth grade and hoping to become a teacher.

Through World Vision training programmes, Indian women receive training in tailoring as well as sewing machines, empowering them to open their own tailor shops and inspire the next generation. Read more

In eastern Burundi, an initial reading assessment of 560 school children revealed that only 26 percent of second graders are able to read and differentiate consonants from vowels. For some children, this is changing. Read how

Thanks to World Vision, Aklima was able to be educated and certified as a midwife. Midwifery is an extremely important skill for her community since many families can't afford to see a doctor or stay in a hospital. Read more here